If you read the recap of my recent trip to Lincoln, Nebraska – the second leg of the MSF-La Quinta College Football Road Trip – you know how much fun I had spending the weekend with one of my favorite people in what is now one of my favorite college towns.

And this came on the heels of a similarly great weekend in Norman, Oklahoma with my little bro Bryce.

The big difference between Weeks 1 and 2 of the #LaQuintaTrip is that Week 1 was almost all about the football game itself (we had incredible 50-yard line seats for an epic Big 12 upset) while Week 2 was about everything that surrounded the football game.

Week 3, this weekend in Austin, Texas, will be about both.

Matthew McConaghey thinks this is the most exciting stop on the MSF-La Quinta College Football Road Trip. It’d be hard to top #8 v #11 under the lights in Darrell K. Royal Stadium. (Image credit: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images via B/R)

And my, my what a gave we’ll get to watch: West Virginia and Heisman front-runner Geno Smith against the Texas Longhorns in Darrel K. Royal Stadium.

There are so many reasons I’m excited for this week. How about I just start counting a handful of them down?

1) More time spent with great friends, new and old.

I don’t know about you, but I would rather go to a crappy Division III football game with my best friends than attend the BCS National Championship Game with strangers.

To me, what makes an experience is the people that you share it with.

And what has made this MSF-La Quinta CFB Road Trip such a great experience so far is that I have gotten to share it with Bryce and Genesis, two people who aren’t in my immediate family but might as well be. It’s made every minute of the experience so much more meaningful to be able to spend it with people I’m so close to.

And this week, I have not one but two special, awesome, amazing guests lined up: one an old friend and the other a new one.

You’ll get to know Aaron and Kristin over the weekend and in the recap. Suffice it to say, having enjoyed many a lively social situation with both, I have 100% confidence in our ability to live it up in Austin and bring you back some entertaining pics, videos, and anecdotes.

2) More time spent in Austin (finally)!

You probably don’t need me to tell you this, but Austin is a great city. I’m slightly embarrassed to say that I’ve lived in Dallas for four-plus years now, and this will be just my fourth weekend excursion into the city.

Every single time I’ve gone, I’ve had a blast. I expect this time to be no different.

While there will be plenty of big football names featured in the recap – naturally, with two heavyweights like Texas and West Virginia doing battle – I’m sure the city itself will end up being one of the major featured stars as we chronicle our journey for you.

3) Geno Smith, live and in person.

Simply put, no college football player in America is playing better or more spectacularly than Geno Smith right now. You might have heard about his superlative stats from last weekend’s game against Baylor: 45-51, 656 yards passing, 8 TDs.

Absurd.

Unlike last weekend in Lincoln, we will be in the stadium to watch the game. Our seats won’t quite be the 50-yard line thrones we had in Norman, but just being able to see Smith quarterback Dana Holgerson’s offense with our own eyes will be worth the price of admission.

Not that we’re expecting anything close to what he did against Baylor though, because…

4) It should be one hell of a game.

Texas has been a bit down lately, but they enter Saturday’s game undefeated and sporting one of the nation’s more talented defenses — though consecutive games of 31 and 36 points allowed may suggest otherwise.

On the other hand, Texas’ offense has been surprisingly effective this year, racking up 47.3 points per game. The competition hasn’t been great, but it’s a step in the right direction for a team that has struggled mightily on offense over the last several years.

Hmm…Texas, which enters the game ranked #11, is averaging 47.3 points and giving up 33.5 the last two weeks. West Virginia, #8 in the polls, is averaging 53.0 points and giving up 32.5.

No, it probably won’t be like West Virginia-Baylor, but this ain’t going to be LSU-Alabama either.

There will be some points scored, and it will be fun to watch.

5) West Virginians in Austin

This is West Virginia’s first trip to Austin as a member of the Big 12 conference. I have no idea how many Mountaineers fans will make the trip, but I’m sure a decent chunk of them will.

And considering the reputation of West Virginia fans as being rather…raucous…I’m curious to see just how that juxtaposition of the West Virginia faithful in a city like Austin will mix. I think it will be awesome.

After watching this clip, I’ve got a lot of love for West Virginia fans. This is one outstanding group rendition of a great ol’ John Denver song:

Aaron and I have discussed possibly making a music video to chronicle the trip. This might be a bad song to go with if we do…

*****

Now, let me turn the attention to you, dear reader. What are you most looking forward to seeing captured from this weekend?

We certainly will be hitting up 6th Street on Friday night, and we’ll be crashing tailgates on Saturday, and we’ll be taking in the sights and sounds of a game at Darrell K. Royal Stadium on Saturday night. Anything in particular you’d like to see? I can’t guarantee it, but I can sure try.

What I can guarantee is another fun recap filled with many, many pictures, probably some (embarrassing) videos, and a number of funny anecdotes … because that’s just how Aaron, Kristin, and I roll.

So get ready. I am.

There are only two more weeks left of this epic road trip La Quinta is sending me on. I plan on maximizing every moment.

The post MSF-La Quinta CFB Road Trip Week 3 Preview: 5 Reasons I Can’t Wait To Get To Austin appeared first on Midwest Sports Fans.

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